Dental-bridge construction



L. E. EVSLIN.

DENTAL BRIDGE CONSTRUCTION. APPLICATION FILED 3.24. 1919.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

z 9 i 9 I JJ W7? PATENT OFFICE.

LEO E. EVSLIN, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DENTAL-BRIDGE GONSTRUCTION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 18, 1921.

Application filed February 24, 1919. Serial No. 278,874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I,Lno E. EVSLIN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Dental-l3ridge Construction, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to dental bridge construction whereby one or more artificial dentures is or are secured in position between two natural teeth, and wherein the usual removable bridge is omitted. The invention relates particularly to artificial dentures which may be easily removed from the mouth for the purpose of cleaning or repa1r.

The objects ofthe invention are to provide an artificial structure which will function in the same manner as the natural teeth; which will prevent injury to the teeth, gums or jaw; wherein strains on the natural teeth and jaw will be relieved; wherein wearing and abrasion of the natural teeth are avoided; and wherein the amount of metal required is. reduced to a minimum.

A further object of the invention is to provide an artificial structure of the character described, which is extremely simple in construction, thoroughly reliable and efficient in its purpose, inexpensive to manufacture, and which'will not easily get out of order.

With these and other objects in view, to be more fully set forth hereinafter, the inventionconsists in the novel construction, combination of elements, and arrangement of parts which will be exemplified in the construction hereinafter described in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings considered together or separately.

In removable bridge-work, the artificial tooth is usually attached to a bridge or saddle which is inserted in the cavity between two natural teeth. Each of the natural teeth carries adevice which may be clamped, cemented or: otherwise secured thereto, and to which the bridge or saddle is secured. By this construction the leverage occasioned by the use of the teeth is considerable and the danger of injury to the natural teeth is great. In addition, the amount of metal required is great, and as such metal is usually gold, the cost s large.

I have illustrated my invention in the accompanying drawings in which like parts are designated by corresponding reference characters, and in which,- Figure .1 is a horizontalsection illustratmg, on an enlarged scale, a single artificial tooth bridged between two natu. al teeth, the section being taken on the li l-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 2 is a section, partly in elevation, on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail elevation of an inlay and pivot;

Fig. {l is a greatly enlarged detail horizontal section taken on the line indicated at 11 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a face view and vertical section of a modification.

In the drawings, I illustrate an artificial tooth 1, bridged across the space left by the removal of a tooth between two natural teeth 2 and 3.

In the opposed flanks of each of the natural teeth, a groove 4t is formed extending "from the crown toward the roots of the teeth. Within each groove 4: is secured an inlay 5 opened at one end. The inlay is retained in position by cementing, or in any suitaable manner. Each inlay is preferably a box-like member of thin metal such as gold, and it is open at one end, as at 6, and in one side of the box a slot 7 is formed. When the inlay is positioned. the open end toward the crown or cutting edge of the tooth and the slotted side faces outwardly.

Secured to each side of the artificial tooth 1 is a slide 8 of such a size as to form a snug fit within a box 5 and be retained therein by frictional engagement with the walls of the box. The slide carries a pin 9 projecting from one side thereof. Said. pin is so mounted in the slide that it may freely rotate relatively thereto. The pin is secured within a socket 10 in the tooth 1 by cementing or otherwise. The diameter of the pin is such that it may enter the slot 7 of the inlay.

Preferably the proportions of the slot and pin are such that some efiort will be required. to move the pin longitudinally in the slot, and the inner end of the slot is enlarged as at 11. whereby, when the pin is seated in the enlargement, it will be free to rotate relatively to the slide, and when so seated. in the enlarged section of the slot, the

spring apart will serve to increase the frictional engagement of the slide with the box. One leaf of the slide is provided with a perforation 12 which is preferably conical and the conical head 13 of the pin 9 is secured therein. The perforation 12 is of such a size that the pin is held against withdrawal, but is free to rotate. j

When the tooth 1 is positioned, the slides on oppo te flanks thereof are forced into the inlays o opposite sides of the space to be filled. The frictional engagement of the slides will retain the tooth 1 in position, and the latter tooth may move relatively to the anchor teeth 2 and 3 by reason of the pivotal engagement of the pinswiththe slides.

Instead of forming the inlay with one open end, only, as the inlay 5, it may consist of a fiat tube 5, open at both ends, and the slot may extend entirely acrossone side of the box, as shown in Fig. 5. lVith this construction, the inlay may be made of a fiat piece of material bentto the shape shown.

If more than one artificial tooth is to be inserted, they may be attached together by inlays and slides, as above described, or theymay be rigidly secured together and the end units pivoted to natural teeth, as above described.

In the drawings and specification, I have illustrated and described my invention as being secured to a groove in a natural tooth, but I wish it distinctly understood that I do not so limit my invention, as it is obvious that my invention herein can be utilized in crown bridge work, as the inlay may be suitably affixed to a crown attached or secured to a naturaltooth, in place of the groove in the natural tooth.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statute, I have described the principle of my invention together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire it understood that my invention is not confined to the particular form of apparatus herein shown and described, and, therefore, I claim broadly the right to employ all equivalent instrumentalities coming within the scope of theappended claims, and by means of which objects of my invention are attained, and the new results accomplished, as herein set forth, as it is obvious that the particular embodiments herein shown and described are only illustrative of some that can be employed to attain these objects and accomplish theseresults.

Having now described my invention, What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patentis p g 1. An artificial tooth having a pin embedded therein, a member mounted on the pin and rotatable thereon, and an element for supporting said element on another tooth.

2. A denture comprising an inlay secured within a groove in a natural tooth, a member carried by said inlay, said member being freely movable relatively to the inlay, and an artificial tooth pivoted to the member.

3. A denture comprising a pair of oppositely disposed inlays, each of which is secured within a groove in a natural tooth, oppositely disposed pins carried by an artificial tooth, a member rotatably mounted on each pin, said members engaging the inlays and being movable longitudinally thereof.

4. A denture comprising a pair-of tubular inlays, each secured in a groove in a natural tooth, said grooves being opposed, there being a slot in'a side ofeachinlay, an artificial tooth adapted to rest between the natural teeth, pins projecting from opposite flanks of said artificial tooth, a member rotatably mounted on each pin, said members being adapted to engage within said inlays.

5. A denture comprising a pair of tubular inlays, each secured in a groove in a natural tooth, said grooves being opposed, one side of each inlay being exposed, there being a slot in the exposed side of each inlay, an artificial tooth adapted to rest between "the natural teeth, pins projecting from opposite flanks of said artificial tooth and through the said slots, a member rotatably mounted on each pin, said members being adapted to frictionally engage within said inlays, the pins projecting through the slots.

6. A denture comprising a pair of tubular inlays, each secured in a groove in a natural tooth, said grooves being opposed, there being a slot in a side of each inlay, said slot extending longitudinally of the side and being of less length than the side, the inner end of the slot being enlarged to form a socket, an artificial tooth adapted to rest between the natural teeth, a pin projecting from opposite fianks of said artificial tooth, an element rotatably mounted on each pin, said element being adapted to engage within SillCl inlays, the pins projecting through the s ots.

This specification signed and witnessed this 14th day of February, 1919.

LEO E. EVSLIN.

Witnesses:

7 JOHN L. LorrscH,

M. Jones. 

